


Looking After You

by AeonTheDimensionalGirl



Series: I’ve Got You (You’re Safe Now) [7]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Balinor Lives (Merlin), Canon Era, Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Emotionally Constipated Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Royal Merlin (Merlin), Uther is dead, Whumptober 2020, Ygraine Lives (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:53:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26860204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeonTheDimensionalGirl/pseuds/AeonTheDimensionalGirl
Summary: Arthur would honestly rather be trapped with a rabid wolf than with the son of Lord Balinor. Unfortunately their captors have a horrible sense of humor.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: I’ve Got You (You’re Safe Now) [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939345
Comments: 55
Kudos: 927





	Looking After You

**Author's Note:**

> **PROMPT No 7. I’VE GOT YOU**  
>  Support | Carrying | **Enemy to Caretaker**

Arthur hated kidnappings.

Granted, at his eight and ten years he’d only been taken from home three times (four if he counted his first ambush by bandits, who held him for six candle marks before his Uncle Tristan and Sir Leon came to his rescue), but still. Hated them.

His current kidnappers had been smart all the way, covering his head with a cloth and shackling him with tight iron manacles; and the young Prince had the sinking feeling they were trained in magic as well, for he could not, for the life of him, recall how exactly he was taken from Camelot.

One moment he was on his way to dinner, and the next he was waking up, tied up and blindfolded before being manhandled to walk… somewhere.

“Home sweet home, little Prince” he heard one of his guards say as they came to an abrupt stop and the cloth was raised at the same he was pushed onto a cell-

Which was not empty.

“Oh, _fuck_ no”

His mother would have gasped in horror and boxed his ears if she were here, but honestly it was the only set of words Arthur could find the energy to say at the moment.

His cellmate simply sent him a sardonic smile.

“Nice to see you too, prat”

Arthur turned towards the men who had pushed him onto the small room.

“I demand to be placed on another cell!”

“Likewise!”

The Prince gaped at his rival.

“You’re already chained in this one, you idiot!” he pointed out with exasperation.

“I would like to be placed in one that's highly far away from you” Lord Ambrosius replied in a very polite tone that contrasted the glare he was sending the blond.

“You’re both staying here” one of the guards finally grunted while he closed the cell door right in Arthur’s face, “We do not negotiate with prisoners” he smiled cruelly before his eyes glowed and the Prince found himself being flung backwards.

Yep.

They were sorcerers.

Wait a moment-!

“Why the fuck, haven’t you gotten yourself out by now?” Arthur muttered with as much dignity possible, trying to get up without revealing in how much pain he was after that fall, “Aren’t you supposed to be this oh so powerful sorcerer?”

“Warlock” Ambrosius corrected with an eye roll, “And I can’t”

And to prove his point, the young son of Lord Balinor slowly raised his hands, displaying a pair of dirty silver cuffs clasped tight around his wrists.

Cold iron.

Fuck.

Arthur bit his tongue to avoid asking him how he was feeling.

He knows what cold iron does to sorcerers, he’s seen the scars Nimueh has on her ankles from her time as a child slave, and remembers the time Morgana once foolishly decided to put some on in an attempt to stop having visions, and how shaken she’d look after they’ve been taken off and destroyed by the Court Sorceress of Camelot.

But- Arthur had also heard rumors that Merlin Ambrosius did not react well to cold iron.

Like an allergic reaction.

And even in the darkness of their cell, he could see that the warlock looked like shit.

“What do they want with us?” the Prince asked slowly, breaking his staring to inspect the dungeon, “This doesn’t look like a ransom, even if we’re both worth a good amount of coin”

“Ah, so you _can_ use that thick brain of yours”

“ _Mer_ lin”

The Dragonlord heir went silent for a moment.

“War” the raven finally replied in low a hiss when he lifted his hand to gesture along, “They gave me a speech when I got here” he added with a slight grunt.

He really didn’t look well.

“Really? Why haven’t I gotten the luxury?” Arthur asked in a frown, trying to distract himself from caring about a boy he didn’t get along with.

His cell mate shrugged.

“I suppose the leader wants to do it” Merlin guessed, “Bit of a dramatic, that one”

“Do you know how many men are here?”

“I counted about ten of them when I was brought in, which was… half a candle mark before you did? I’ll admit that I was a little distracted trying to remember how to breathe”

Arthur blinked.

“Why couldn’t you remember how to breathe?”

Merlin opened his mouth to answer, but instead of words, what came out was a scream of pain.

Arthur watched, horror-struck, how the younger boy began spasming and withering in obvious agony before stopping abruptly as it began.

“Ah, the bear and the falcon seem to be getting along”

Stunned, Arthur turned his gaze away from a heaving Merlin to the cell door, feeling his eyes widen with surprise as he took in the person who spoke.

King Cenred of Essetir stood behind the cells, smiling pleasantly as his dark eyes went from the Prince to the withering young nobleman on the floor.

“Cenred” Arthur spat, “Of course”

The foreign king had been giving trouble as for late, his latest acts having been refusing to sign the new peace treaty Camelot had drafted with half the kingdoms of Albion.

“Hm, I find the lack of surprise insulting, Pendragon” Cenred said, pressing a hand on his chest in mock hurt, “Taking you both was a little too complicated for my men-”

“Slaves-” Merlin spat from his curled position on the floor.

“-So I would appreciate at least some, well, appreciation for the feat” the King finished saying, giving Merlin a dark look for his interruption.

“Get to the point” Arthur demanded.

He knows the basic of it, as Merlin had said, but he knew Cenred; he never wasted time to boast about something.

“Well, as your tiny bird friend said, war” Cenred replied, still with that slimy grin on his face, “And what better way to start one by using you little ones?”

Arthur felt his eyes widen in realization.

“Internal conflict in Camelot for our kidnapping-” Merlin began voicing his thoughts with a hoarse voice.

“And attack while everyone is distracted looking for us” Arthur finished with dread.

Cenred clapped.

“Well done!” he exclaimed, looking giddy.

“You won’t get away with it” Merlin claimed before the Prince could, “Camelot has the best defense in Albion. Everyone knows that”

Cenred smirked.

“Ah yes” he started to say at the same time he took out an amulet from the confines of his cloak, “But I have the mighty Emrys at my side”

And with a whisper, the amulet glowed-

And Merlin began screaming again.

“STOP!” Arthur yelled, feeling frightened as he witnessed the raven spit out blood in between fits. He and Merlin might not get along, but torture was something he never wished on the boy, “CENRED, STOP!”

Finally it came to an end.

“What did you do to him?” Arthur asked in a horrified whisper, watching the warlock whimper and gasp for breath.

“I didn’t do anything” Cenred replied, voice full of amusement, “He’s the one causing pain to himself. Unless he willingly submits, the pain will continue”

“I-” Merlin gasped, “I-I’ll never do t-that”

Cenred laughed.

“You will, falcon” the King smiled darkly, “Everyone breaks at the end”

And then Merlin did something either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave.

He spat at Cenred’s face.

Arthur watched, with immense trepidation, at how the King of Essetir slowly raised his hand to his face, swiped out some of the bloody spit and stared at it with a blank look.

“Well then” Cenred said darkly, “If that’s how you want to play…”

* * *

At the end, Arthur had to be forcibly (and painfully) held down by one of the sorcerers while Merlin was tortured.

He didn’t let them go easy at it. In an effort to distract Cenred from using the amulet, the blond tried his very best to push off his enforcer.

Arthur managed to bash his head behind the man, hearing the very satisfying noise of a broken nose amidst Merlin’s screams, before there was a pain on the back of his head and everything went black.

* * *

When Arthur wakes up he notices two things.

One, his right ear is ringing and the side of his face is caked with blood.

And two, except for his breathing, the cell is silent.

Merlin lies curled on his side, lips parted open and bloody.

He doesn’t seem to be moving.

Alright, now Arthur was beyond worried. For all of their animosity, Merlin being hurt was beginning to make something unfurl on the blond’s chest.

Ygraine had always told him he had a caring heart.

“Merlin?” he asks, his heart on his throat.

Silence.

Shaking, Arthur gets up, idly noticing that his own manacles have been connected to a chain on the wall. It seems long enough to get to Merlin, so the Prince doesn’t worry too much about it.

He’d noticed earlier upon arriving that the son of Lord Balinor looked horrible. Well now he looked _worse_.

Under the faint moonlight, his snow white skin is a sickly pale grey, there’s an honest to the gods small puddle of blood where his wrists rest on the stone; and there are dark bruises under his sunken eyes.

For a moment, Arthur fears Cenred killed Merlin.

He sits cross-legged next to the unconscious raven, deciding to start by checking his pulse on his neck-

And breathes a sigh of relief when he feels the familiar beat.

“Merlin” he calls, tapping the warlock’s cheek.

Still no response.

“ _Mer_ lin” he repeats in his favorite way to say the boy’s name, hoping that maybe annoyance will wake him up.

And then-

A small whimper.

“Come on you lazy oaf” Arthur encouraged. What was that ridiculous fraise he’d once caught Merlin saying to Sir Gwaine?

“Up and at ‘em, lazy daisy!”

Finally, yet slowly, Merlin opened his eyes.

“’R’hr?” he slurred, azure eyes confused.

Bless the Triple Goddess.

“Nice of you to come back to the land of the living” Arthur said in lieu of greeting.

Merlin kept looking at him confused. Arthur smiled awkwardly and broke the staring, opting to look for the small cup of water he’d noticed in his earlier assessment of the cell.

“Here” he handled it to the raven, who, after a moment of hesitation, took it with trembling and bloody fingers.

Arthur internally winced as he took in the young lord’s wounds.

And before he even realized what he was doing, he began to tear out pieces of his tunic. But before he could begin wrapping the first one on the raven’s wrist, the boy drew back.

“Why are you doing this?” Merlin questioned, looking mistrustful.

Arthur couldn’t help his eye roll.

“You’d rather be covered in blood and scratches?” he asked, gesturing at the state of the warlock, “Because if you do, then you’re a bigger idiot than I thought”

“But you hate me” Merlin deadpanned.

Arthur stilled.

Slowly, he put down the makeshift bandages.

“I don’t hate you” Arthur finally said, mind reeling.

Sure, they didn’t get along, but he didn’t hate Merlin.

Surely he knew that.

… Right?

“Yes, you do” Merlin countered back, him now being the one rolling his eyes, “You call me names and you hit me and push me and-”

The Prince gaped.

“You call me names too!” he yelled in outrage, “You call me prat-”

“Cause you’re one-”

“An ass-”

“Also one-”

“Clotpole- I’ll admit I have no idea what the seven hells that means but knowing you, it’s not flattering”

Merlin had the decency to chuckle.

“Heard it in a vision” he murmured.

Arthur blinked.

“You what?” he drawled. Merlin glared at him.

“I was practicing my visions with your sister, because, you know, we’re both under Nimueh’s tutelage, and I heard it. Thought it fitted you well” Merlin gave him a fleeting smile before frowning in afterthought, “It was a strange vision”

Arthur didn’t want to be interested, but his curiosity was picked.

“Why was it strange?”

Merlin closed his eyes for a moment.

“People wore strange clothes” he began saying, “And had- er, unique hairstyles and makeup? One woman’s face was as white as the castle walls and her hair had pearls and more jewels that I could count. But the important thing is that- they’re watching this play, alright? And the people in the play are having a very confusing love problem, and at one point someone seems to snap and exclaims _‘Prepareth to Square, You Clotpole!’_ , because someone was being an idiot”

Arthur snorted.

It was an insult!

But reluctantly he had to admire Merlin’s ability to See. Morgana could only grab some words in her visions, and according to her, things sometimes didn’t made sense at all.

Merlin easily recalled the whole thing.

“That’s… quite incredible” he admitted before frowning, “But don’t think I’ve forgotten what this was about in the first place. You still call me names!”

“Because you started it!” Merlin’s voice was completely exasperated, “ _And_ , again, you also hit me!”

“That’s not hitting, those are friendly slaps”

“Well, have you considered that perhaps not everyone likes to be treated like that?” Merlin asked, attempting to cross his arms but flinching when the cuffs rattled. He dropped them to the side, defeated.

“My friends don’t mind when I do it to them” Arthur muttered, crossing his arms petulantly.

“But we’re not friends” Merlin said slowly. The Prince stilled once more.

“Why… _aren’t_ we?”

Merlin gave him a look.

“Really? Because of the names and friendly slaps?”

“More like abuse, really” the raven muttered, before frowning, “But as much as I loathe to admit it… I sort of… look forwards to it?” he sighed in frustration, “I don’t know, call me mad, but it’s sort of fun-”

“-Seeing you riled up” Arthur finished, a wolfish smile on his face.

They stared at each other, silent-

Before busting into laughter.

“It’s your face!” Merlin exclaimed, “You always get this look of _‘You dare insult me? The lord of prats? How dare you!’_ I’m quite sure that if my father weren’t a nobleman, you’d be sending me to the stocks”

Arthur cackled.

“Oh, believe me, I’ve been tempted, but mother would have my head” he admitted, “Your face is also hilarious. You always stare at me as if you were debating if you should turn me into a toad or risk your parent’s fury”

“I have been tempted, yes” Merlin said, voice strangely strained while clutching his stomach-

Oh.

His injuries.

Arthur held up the makeshift rags.

“Let me help you?” he asked softly.

Merlin let out a shuddering breath.

Arthur held his own.

The raven shakily held up his wrists.

* * *

It’s five days more of endless screaming from Merlin’s part before he breaks down crying after he wakes up.

Arthur will admit that he panicked when the young noble began sobbing. He tried holding him, as he used to do with Morgana when she would wake up screaming from her first visions; but when he attempted to do so with Merlin, the raven withered and cried out in pain and almost had a fit in which he didn’t stop dry heaving for a while.

“Arthur?” Merlin’s voice was shaky, “I’m scared”

The Prince loaded to admit it, but so was he.

“I know”

“I don’t want to go through more pain” the raven cried, hiding his face in the inside of the blond’s thigh since his head was resting on his lap, “But I don’t want to hurt our people either”

“I know” Arthur whispered, his heart going out for him.

Merlin suddenly stilled.

And the Prince realized with mortification that he had begun to absentmindedly trail his fingers through Merlin’s hair.

“I- sorry”

“’s alright” the raven whispered after an awkward silence, “You took me by surprise, that’s all”

Arthur shuddered, trying to ignore how out of sudden his stomach began flipping, before placing his fingers on the raven locks and continuing his administrations.

“Aren’t you scared?” Merlin whispered, voice quiet.

“I am” Arthur admitted, looking away.

“You know, being locked on this cell doesn’t do my childhood fear of the dark any favors” the warlock murmured in a small voice, “I used to think that the shadows were out to get me, and now there’s a monster in the shadows out to get me”

“How did you get over it?” the blond asked, genuinely curious, feeling pleased when the raven smiled.

“I invented a spell” he revealed, “A little orb of light, after I nearly caused a fire in my chambers back in Ealdor for leaving a candle on” his grin fell a bit, “I wish I could conjure it right now”

“You can show me when we’re free” Arthur tentatively suggested.

“Maybe I will” Merlin turned to look at him, smiling softly.

Arthur forced himself to look away.

“I- Sometimes-” he stammered, “Sometimes I have nightmares with my father” he revealed in a small voice, “It’s ridiculous since I never met him, but- but he’s there and-” he gulped, “He’s not good”

He feels a little mortified again. He’s never told anyone this.

“What do you mean?”

“Has Balinor ever told you how my father died?”

It wasn’t a secret that Uther Pendragon died at the same time Arthur gave his first breath, but the exact circumstances had been a mystery for the blond until he turned eight summers old.

The young Prince had honestly believed for some time that he had some sort of hidden magic inside him and had killed his father as a babe; but his mother soon put an end to those beliefs when Arthur had ran to Nimueh’s chambers, crying and asking if he had uncontrollable magic.

He learned about the trade.

Merlin nodded hesitantly.

“A life for a life” he bit his lip, clearly faltering for a moment, “It was one of the first lessons father and Nimueh taught me”

“Mother dies instead of my father” Arthur whispered, “And my father- he goes mad”

“What does he do?”

Arthur turned to stare at the young lord.

“He declares war on magic” he replied in a faint voice, “Bans it, hunts it down, kills everything and everyone who breathes it- It feels so real” he whispers.

The Prince looks down at the warlock, remembering something else as well with a little smile.

“You’re there too, sometimes”

“I am?” the surprise in Merlin’s voice is evident.

“Yes” he smirked, “You’re my servant”

“Fantastic” Merlin muttered, “Why I am not surprised?”

Arthur chuckled.

“Would you hit me if I told you it doesn’t look bad?” he asked, feeling strangely timid, “Sometimes-” he closed his eyes, “Sometimes it looks like we’re friends” he shyly revealed, “Like Morgana and Guinevere”

“… If it’s like that, then I suppose it doesn’t look too bad” Merlin finally said, looking up at the Prince, azure eyes twinkling, “You haven’t done a bad job at being one so far, despite still being a prat”

Arthur snorted.

“Clotpole”

“Oi! That’s my word!”

“And it suits you perfectly”

The warlock laughed.

The Prince does not notice the smile of delight Merlin gives him, too busy trying to hide his own.

* * *

A fortnight passes.

Things have become a routine by then.

Cenred comes on the morning and tortures Merlin with the cursed cold iron cuffs and the amulet while Arthur is held back and forced to watch.

Merlin faints from the pain.

Arthur feeds him what little water they’re given and treats his wounds as he waits for the raven to regain consciousness.

They share stories as the night falls to distract themselves.

“Morgana once gave me donkey ears because she was mad at me”

“Really?” Merlin asks with mirth in his tone as Arthur hums.

“I don’t remember why though” he admitted with a slight frown, “We were young”

“Perhaps you said something stupid” the raven suggested from his spot in the Prince’s lap.

Arthur chortled.

“More than likely, yes”

“Ah, so he admits it” Merlin laughed in victory.

The Prince shoved him slightly, telling him it was his turn.

“I accidentally released a goblin on my family’s home back in Ealdor” Merlin reveals in a solemn voice that’s only betrayed by the mirth in his eyes, “My father was so mad- the goblin turned him bald. My mother found the situation amusing though” he laughed, “She said a little chaos and mayhem is necessary in the household”

Arthur snorted in agreement.

“Lady Hunith is right” he says.

“She usually is” Merlin softly replied, before smirking, “Hey, remember when we first met?”

“How can I not” Arthur said dryly, “Bit hard to forget your skinny ass walking up to me and telling me right in the face to stop bullying my manservant, which I wasn’t-”

“You were making poor Morris walk around with a shield and throwing daggers at him!”

“He was wearing protective armor and a charm!” Arthur glared lightly at him, “He was fine”

Merlin was grinning at him.

“I still remember the first thing you said to me” he revealed.

The Prince’s eyes widened.

“You do?”

“Tell me Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?” Merlin imitated in a mocking tone, laughing as Arthur pouted.

“I did not talk like that” he muttered.

“Like a prat? Are you sure about that?” Merlin asked with mild glee, sitting up. Arthur huffed, but smiled nonetheless.

“I suppose you’re right” he relented. The young lord smiled softly.

They stayed in comfortable silence for a while.

“Why did you say that?” Merlin questioned, staring directly at Arthur, “You were four and ten, you must have known what it meant” he added with a little smirk.

“I don’t know” Arthur admitted softly, feeling thankful for the darkness in the cell for hiding the heat in his face, “I- I heard the Knights say it and I- I don’t know. I saw you and thought _‘I need to say that to him’_ ”

“I knew you were a dollophead”

The comment was so out of nowhere that Arthur busted out laughing.

“That’s not a real word!” he claimed, resting his head on Merlin’s shoulder as his body trembled with mirth.

“It is!” Merlin giggled.

“Is that so?” Arthur challenged, leaning over the warlock, “Then, pray tell, describe _‘dollophead’_ ”

“In two words?” Merlin asked, voice slightly breathless.

“If you must” the Prince whispered with a little smirk.

“Prince Arthur” Merlin answered, grinning softly.

Their faces were so close; Arthur could see flecks of gold on the blue of Merlin’s eyes, shinning like little stars and the sharpness of his cheekbones; how his dark, long lashes fluttered as they came closer; the fullness of his lips-

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

Both young noblemen stilled in terror.

Cenred never came at night.

They watched in apprehension as their captor walked into the cell with a set of armed guards.

Arthur shifted lightly in an attempt to hide the raven from sight, and felt a reassuring hand on his back.

“I have to admire the resilience, Merlin” Cenred began to say, looking almost impressed, “But my spies have informed me that time is precious and unfortunately your stubbornness is costing it” he sighed, disappointed, “So, we’ll have to resort to extreme measures”

Arthur felt his stomach fill with dread as the King turned his eyes on him.

“Grab the Prince”

In the blink of an eye, Arthur was being held down on the floor by four (four!) men, while Cenred strolled towards an alarmed Merlin.

“I’ve noticed that the bear and the falcon have become quite close” he said, bemused, “But I do wonder- has this tentative friendship grown stronger in such little time?” he asked before nodding off to the men holding the Prince down.

And Arthur’s world exploded in pain.

“NO!”

He felt like a thousand- a million- of weapons had been tested by using his body as a training dummy.

“NO, STOP IT!”

He wasn’t aware that he was screaming until he felt a pair of hands holding his face, and a familiar voice crying out.

“STOP IT! CENRED STOP IT YOU’RE KILLING HIM”

_Merlin._

“I’LL DO IT!”

The pain seized, and Arthur sagged on Merlin’s hold, both of them shaking.

Silence filled the cell.

“I’ll do it” Merlin whispered again.

“No- Mer-” Arthur coughed, “It- it’s alright- ‘Gana c-can r-rule” he managed to stammer between gasps.

The look Merlin sent him broke his heart.

“I don’t want you to die” the warlock revealed in a whisper, azure eyes bright with tears as he caressed the blond’s cheek.

Arthur trembled under his stare, an unspoken revelation going between them. Breaking eye contact with the Dragonlord heir, he placed a kiss on the inside of the warlock’s palm.

“Well, I suppose that answers it” Cenred said, amused as he walked over to the two young men and dragging Merlin away from the Prince by holding him by the arm, “Come now, young bird, we must prepare our men!”

* * *

They bring Arthur and Merlin to some sort of courtyard that’s illuminated by a dozen lighted torches and filled with half the men.

Why the Prince is being dragged here too, he can only guess.

But he has the sinking feeling that it’s for leverage against Merlin.

When the warlock raises his arms to show the cuffs, the King of Essetir cackles.

“Ah, ah, ah, the cuffs remain” Cenred said with a tut after calming down, “I can’t have you getting any ideas”

“If you want my magic, you’ll need to remove them” Merlin coolly replied, “They’ll kill me, and I doubt a corpse will be useful to you”

Cenred snorted.

“Don’t bluff” he said almost bored, “You’ve finally submitted yourself to me, they will only hold you back from turning against me”

Arthur now feared for Merlin’s life.

He’s seen Merlin under the cuffs for two weeks. The boy is clearly weakened by the suppression of his magic and the lack of proper food and water.

Cenred was going to make the raven kill himself.

“Now, what to order? What to order?” Cenred questioned, tapping his chin, before settling his eyes on a rack of swords, “Enchant my men’s armor to be impenetrable” he ordered.

Merlin gave him a bow that was clearly sarcastic.

“As my lord commands” he hissed.

Arthur had to bite his cheek to avoid snorting.

Merlin whispered an incantation, and every chainmail around glowed a bright blue before fading away.

Looking suspiciously at the raven, Cenred drew his sword and quickly drove it onto the closest Knight.

The sword broke.

Arthur swore under his breath while everyone else cheered and clapped in awe.

No one seemed to notice the warlock sagging on his feet. 

“Now enchant our swords to not break!”

When Merlin finished, he’d fallen to his knees. Cenred didn’t even cared, too busy smashing his newly replaced and enchanted sword around to see if it worked, finally satisfied when not even a scratch came to the blade.

“Now-” he smirked towards Arthur, who felt his stomach drop even further, “Torture Pendragon”

Merlin staggered back.

“No” he whispered, horrified, shaking his head in distress.

Cenred sighed with annoyance.

“Falcon, have you learned nothing about disobedience?”

And he took out the amulet.

“MERLIN-!”

The raven fell to the ground, his now familiars screams echoing through the courtyard.

“STOP! CENRED STOP!” Arthur cried against his binding, watching as Merlin began convulsing and spitting out blood, “HE WON’T MAKE IT!”

Cenred ignored him.

When the King seemed to get bored, he stepped over a heaving and whimpering Merlin and made his way to the anguished Prince-

And drew out a dagger.

“Now listen here, Merlin Ambrosius, Emrys, whatever you name is” Cenred hissed, “One more, and dear Artie’s neck meets the knife”

Distressed, Arthur locked eyes with Merlin, who despite having trails of blood coming out of his nose and mouth and heaving like there was no tomorrow, seemed to have a sudden spark on him as he locked eyes with the blond.

 _‘Do you trust me?’_ he seemed to ask.

The Prince nodded as discreetly as he could.

 _‘I do’_ he mouthed.

Merlin nodded seemingly to himself between pants, turning to an impatient looking Cenred.

“What if I showed you something?” the warlock asked, “Something none of your sorcerers can do?”

“It better be good” Cenred hissed darkly, “Or else-” he pointed to the dagger on Arthur’s throat.

Panting, Merlin nodded once again before taking a deep breath (or, as much as he could with the cold iron cuffs) and threw his head back as screamed into the sky.

_“O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!”_

Mystified, Arthur noticed that it was the same yell Lord Balinor did to summon the dragons under his care.

Cenred laughed.

“Oh! Summoning dragons aren’t we?” he gleefully asked as Merlin sagged once again in his place, dropping to his knees, “I knew you were powerful, but to do it when dear old father is still alive- must be quite the risk!”

Arthur wanted to scream at the King. It _was_ a risk, and couldn’t he see that Merlin was practically a walking corpse to this point?!

And then- to Arthur’s surprise, Merlin smirked.

“Or maybe it was a signal”

And he buried his fingers onto the earth, eyes shining gold, and Arthur feels himself be freed from his chains at the same time a wave of energy knocks out a good third of the men standing in the courtyard.

Both Cenred and Arthur gaped at the warlock on the floor, and the Prince feels giddy when he noticed that one of the cold iron cuffs has just- melted away.

“Impossible!”

No, Arthur thought, Merlin was clever and used the natural magic for help.

“I’ve been told I am” Merlin cheekily said, before glaring, “You shouldn’t have threatened him”

Arthur could have laughed at the look on the King’s, but opted instead to dive for a sword at the same time Cenred activated the amulet-

With one cuff off, Merlin possessed an advantage on his captor.

Arthur admired from a distance how the warlock fought the pain and the rest of the men that were closing in on him with what little magic he could gather-

He nearly got a sword through the chest, and quickly fell into battle with the furious King.

Cenred was clutching the amulet hard onto his fist as he battled Arthur, but Merlin stood his ground despite the amount of pain he had to be in at the moment.

“You can’t resist it!” Cenred yelled as he parried the Prince’s blows, “Sooner or later you’ll be screaming and begging for me to stop-!”

He had been so busy bragging that he didn’t par Arthur’s next attack. The amulet flew through the air-

And crashed into tiny pieced once it touched the ground.

The moment the amulet was destroyed, Merlin stilled, eyes wide.

“Duck” he whispered to the Prince-

Before he curled over himself in pain, letting out one more scream of pure, raw agony-

And released a bigger wave of magic.

The earth trembled. The remaining men fell over newly created crevices or fled.

Merlin fell to the ground, eyes closed.

Unmoving.

Arthur took the opportunity to sneak behind Cenred and slide his throat, jumping out of the way when a boulder nearly crashes onto them.

Coughing, Arthur dragged himself towards Merlin as best as he could, body protesting all the way. Seems to be that the adrenaline decided to finally leave him.

“M-Merlin” he whispered, using what little he had of strength left to take him into his arms and settle themselves on a inclined fallen wall, “Mer- Merlin, please”

Azure eyes open by a small slit.

 _“Arthur”_ the raven croaks.

“I’m here” the blond whispered, cupping Merlin’s face, “It’s alright, it’s over”

“I- everything hurts”

“I know”

“Leave me” Merlin cried, “I- it’s bad, Arthur- I” he closed his eyes in clear agony. Arthur shook his head, tears stinging behind his eyes as he pressed their forehead together.

“I don’t want you to die” he mumbled the warlock’s words, before pressing his lips to Merlin’s.

He tastes tears, sweat and blood, but the only thing that the blond choses to focus on is how he feels a thrill on his spine when the raven kisses back.

“I hate you” Merlin murmured with a soft smile when they break apart, “Right as we’re badly wounded?”

Arthur laughed mildly.

“I hate you too” he whispered back, tenderly pushing back bloody raven locks from Merlin’s fringe, “And we’re not going to die, we’re merely going to rest”

Merlin placed his head on the blond’s shoulder, nodding slightly.

“I’m tired” the raven sighed as his eyes closed.

“Me too” Arthur mumbled faintly, his own eyes dropping as he witnessed Merlin lose consciousness.

The last thing he hears before surrendering to darkness is the unmistakable sound of a dragon roaring in the distance.

* * *

A familiar pair of fingers carting through his hair slowly began to bring Arthur out of unconsciousness.

When he opens his eyes, a blonde woman is next to him, smiling.

“Mother?” he croaked.

 _“Arth fach”_ Ygraine whispered, eyes bright with tears, “You both scared us, my darling”

Both…?

Arthur shot himself upwards.

“Merlin!” he called, feeling frenetic as he only takes in a camping infirmary tent and the furniture inside it, “Where’s Merlin?!”

“He’s alright, Arthur” his mother quickly placed her hands over his shoulders in a familiar motion to calm him down, “He’s resting with his parents” the Queen added.

Arthur sagged in relief back onto the furs.

He’d lived.

“Can I go see him?” he asked, trying not to sound too begging but knowing he failed as Ygraine’s lips quirk in slight amusement.

“Let Gaius and Alice check you over first” his mother said in a commanding tone, “Then you can go see Merlin”

The Prince grumbles his agreement, knowing it’s futile to argue with his mother when she’s in a) Protective Mother mode, and b) Protective Queen mode.

He sits unstill as the Court Physicians check him over, tapping his finger onto his knee all the way.

But, finally, they give him the go.

Arthur has never fled a tent so fast in his life.

(And if he takes some time to fix his hair and his clothes before entering the tent, well, no one needs to know).

“You look horrible” it’s the first thing Merlin tells him when they lay eyes on each other.

He’s still pale, and has horrible bruises all over his body; while his arms are covered in bandages.

But he’s alive.

“And you look positively dreadful” Arthur replied, before noticing that they’re not alone when a snort reaches his ears, “Lord Balinor, Lady Hunith” he hastily bowed, “I apologize, I didn’t-”

“Oh it’s alright, dear” Hunith says in amusement, “We were just about to leave”

“We were not” Balinor gruffed. His wife elbowed him, “…For half a candle mark”

“We’ll come back later” Hunith told Merlin, placing a kiss upon his head while his father ruffled it before they both left.

“How are you feeling?” Arthur settled for asking, walking towards the bed.

“Like I was dragged through all the seven hells” Merlin admitted, “You?”

“Not really bad. Just- sore” he took a seat in the stool next to the bed, “Alice says it should pass with plenty of bed rest”

“I’ve been told that I will have to stay in bed rest for at least a month” the raven said, biting his lip.

“That bad, huh?” Arthur whispered. Merlin nodded, eyes distant.

“Almost didn’t make it, according to father and Nimueh” he revealed, “Too much time with my magic confined-”

“-And the torture and blood loss didn’t help”

“Exactly” Merlin’s voice was small.

Wordlessly, Arthur offered his hand, and the raven quickly made work to grab it.

“Are we going to talk about- you know” Merlin blushes adorably, “That?”

“The kiss or the _‘I hate yous’_?” the Prince asked.

“Both” the raven admits in a shy tone.

“I-” Arthur looked down to their joined hands, “I meant them- well, replace hate with another word- but you get what I mean” he stammered as Merlin began to smile, “What I’m trying to say is, I- finding friendship with you was fun, but- Merlin, I would like to court you” he finally said, feeling his face heat, “You- you don’t have to, if you don’t want to- I’m not going to force-”

But a pair of lips on his are silencing him.

When they break apart, they’re smiling like loons.

“Alright” Merlin whispered, “I would like that too”

Arthur kissed him again.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Arth fach_ = Welsh for 'Little bear'
> 
> Originally Uther was going to be alive in this one but then I thought _'fuck that! let the pussy ass bitch be dead!'_ and he did.
> 
> Also, as much as I love considering Emrys as Merlin's last name, I fervently believe (as a tribute to Arthurian legend) that Ambrosius was Balinor's last name, and if Uther hadnt been a dick and thus Balinor had married Hunith... well, you know how last names work.


End file.
